What is "Pop" about Moonspell "Alma Mater"???????
It is one of the best songs that the band ever wrote.

Pop Metal is Bon Jovi, Poison, Def Lep etc.

None of the bands mentioned so far IMO.

I may be wrong but I think the purpose of this thread is to mention some "lighter" bands that usually wouldn't be mentioned here.
Any metalhead worth their salt wouldn't actually consider the bands mentioned pop. So relax and go with the flow dude.

Thought this thread was going to be about Static-X, Trivium, all that other shit that specifically tried to be pop & metal. Most of this stuff is just good selling records, which does not make it pop. All kinds of different lighter stuff being posted.

Pop metal is the perfect term for this kind of thing, i.e. Poppy songs with clear, simple melody, song structures and maybe a catchphrase / chorus or two just played with "metal" instruments and sound.

- Katatonia, definitely.

- Moonspell too, as well as a load of gothic-oriented metal bands, often with female singers